A card discarded knowing that it will add to opponent’s existing meld.

Advertising

To throw a card so that the opponent throws a card of same rank or sequence. Also known as Salesman, Baiting or Fishing.

Baiting

Same as Advertising.

Big Gin

When a player draws the 11th card, and can form a gin with all 11 cards, he can retain the extra card as part of his hand. He is awarded an extra 6 points besides the regulation Gin Bonus.

Blitz

Same as Shutout Bonus.

Box

Each entry in the scoring sheet. Bonuses are given at the end of the game for each box.

Box Bonus

At the end of the match, each player receives a bonus of 25 points for every hand (or round) won during the match. Also known as Line Bonus.

Captain

A player playing against two players who play alternately with him.

Combination

Two cards which can form a meld with a suitable third card.

Count

The total points in any hand excluding the melded cards.

Cut

A single move after shuffle to change the order of the deck.

Deadwood

A card or cards not part of a meld. Also known as Unrelated card or Unmatched card.

Deal

The process of distributing cards to both players. In Gin rummy, 10 cards are given to each player.

Deck

The set of cards with which Gin rummy is played.

Defender

The player whose opponent has knocked during a hand.

Discard

The dropping of one card to the discard pile by a player during normal play.

Discard Pile

The central pool where a player discards his unwanted cards. All cards in a discard pile are face up.

Draw

The picking of one card, either the top card or the up card by a player during normal play.

Face cards

Cards with faces on them. Jack, Queen and King.

Foreign Card

A card not part of the deck in use.

Game

The end of series of hands when a player reaches the target score.

Fishing

Same as Advertising.

Game Bonus

The player who wins a game receives a Game Bonus of 100 points.

Gin

Knocking with zero deadwoods. Allows player to receive Gin Bonus.

Gin Bonus

If the knocker goes Gin, he scores the entire deadwood count of the defender and a Gin bonus of 25 points. The defender doesn’t get to lay off.

Gin Off

When a defender knocks off all his cards to a knockers hand.

Going to the wall

Playing till there are only two cards in the stock; a tied hand.

Hand

The cards dealt to a player; The cards a player holds; The actual play starting from deal to knocking / gin.

Hollywood

The scores in Hollywood gin are kept in three games simultaneously.

Illegal Hand

Any hand containing more or less than 10 cards before a draw or after a discard.

Knock

A player’s way of ending the hand. A player can knock when he has less than 10 deadwoods.

Knocker

The player who knocks during a hand.

Knocking count

The points at or below which a player may knock.

Lay off

After a player knocks, the defender can use his deadwood cards to extend melds of the knocking player, and thus reduce his deadwood. This is known as “Laying off”. Not allowed if the knocker goes gin.

Line Bonus

Same as Box Bonus.

Meld

A set of three or more matching cards. It could be formed by two ways: a run or a set.
A run is a group of consecutive cards of the same suit 6 7 8 or 10 J Q.
A set is a group of three or four cards of same rank. 5 55 or 99 9.

No Brainer

A hand which can be knocked very easily.

Oklahoma

Variation of Gin rummy where the 21st card (upcard) determines the knock number.

Partnership Safe Count

The point that a player can hold to make sure the partnership is won.

Redeal

A deal by the previous dealer when a hand is nullified.

Run

Consecutive cards of the same suit 6 7 8 or 10 J Q. Part of Meld. Same as Sequence.

Safe Card

A card which the opponent is unlikely to use.

Safe Count

The point that a player can hold without the possibility of the opponent winning a game.

Salesman

Same as Advertising.

Schneider

Same as Shutout Bonus.

Sequence

Same as Run.

Set

Three or four cards of same rank. 5 55 or 99 9. Part of Meld.

Shuffle

To randomize the deck before dealing.

Shutout Bonus

If the winner of a game wins every hand in the match, and thus shuts out his opponent, the points for each hand are doubled before adding the Box Bonus. This is also known as a Blitz or a Schneider.

Speculate

Picking a card which does not form a meld then but may form a meld later.

Stock Pile

The central pool of face down cards from where a player draws a card during Gin rummy.

Straight Gin

In this variation of Gin rummy, there is no knocking. Each player plays for gin.

Suit

A particular color of cards. There are four suits in a deck: .
The cards in any suit are: A (Ace) 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 J (Jack) Q (Queen) K (King).

Top card

The uppermost card of the stock pile. A player must draw either the Upcard or the Top card during play.

Undercut

If a knocker has equal or more deadwood points than the defender, the defender scores the difference between the two deadwood counts and an undercut bonus of 25 points. Same as Underknock.

Underknock

Same as Undercut.

Unload

To throw high ranking cards to reduce deadwood.

Unmatched Card

Same as Deadwood.

Unrelated Card

Same as Deadwood.

Upcard

The uppermost card of the discard pile. A player must draw either the Upcard or the Top card during play.